Pvt. Leonard Powell, Co. D, 2nd Wisconsin, On the Battle

7122011

Letters from Members of the Janesville Volunteers.

Arlington Heights, July 24th.

Dear Wife: – I write to let you know that I am well. I hope you are also in good health. We have had two hard battles, have been defeated in one, and were obliged to retreat thirty miles to this place.

I cannot tell you how many balls whistled by my head during the battle, for I could not count them. The little things go very quick, but I can dodge the cannon ball and the bomb shell; but when a shell bursts it raises the “Old Ned” with the men. My gun was shot from my hands by a shell; that was close work for the eyes. Three were three men shot down by my side. – Fred. Main was shot through the leg, and has not been seen since. I fear he is dead, for the enemy killed our wounded. This will be a hard war for both sides, but we are bound to whip them. Our loss is about one thousand, and that of the other side about the same.

I was taken prisoner, but my legs were too long for them, and I left. I was separated from my company two days. The enemy could not fool “Old Pap.” I shot the man who was guarding me. He had taken my gun from me, but I had a pistol in my shirt pocket which he did not find. When he turned his back I gave him a charge, and then he let my old legs go. These legs of mine won’t let the body be abused in such times. I walked thirty-five miles that night, through the woods all the way. It was a hard tramp for me.

We were in the battle five hours; it was very hard fighting. I saw dead men and horses on all sides of me. ‘Tis enough to harden any man’s heart. I never had any fear at all until they all ran; and then I tried to help a wounded man off the field, and was taken prisoner.

Dulce bellum inexpertis

“I am sending you these little incidents as I hear them well authenticated. They form, to the friends of the parties, part of the history of the glorious 21st. More anon.”

About

Hello! I’m Harry Smeltzer and welcome to Bull Runnings, where you'll find my digital history project on the First Battle of Bull Run which is organized under the Bull Run Resources section. I'll also post my thoughts on the processes behind the project and commentary on the campaign, but pretty much all things Civil War are fair game. You'll only find musings on my “real job” or my personal life when they relate to this project. My mother always told me "never discuss politics or religion in mixed company”, and that's sound advice where current events are concerned.

The Project

This site is more than a blog. Bull Runnings also hosts digitized material pertaining to First Bull Run. In the Bull Run Resources link in the masthead and also listed below are links to Orders of Battle, After Action Reports, Official Correspondence, Biographical Sketches, Diaries, Letters, Memoirs, Newspaper Accounts and much, much more. Take some time to surf through the material. This is a work in process with no end in sight, so check back often!